Staff

Heather Degenhart

Ballet

Tap

Ms. Degenhart holds a BS in Arts Administration with Dance Concentration from Butler University. She has danced professionally with the Georgia Ballet. Heather is an experienced teacher in pre-ballet, tap and creative.

Sophia Estes

Hip Hop

Jazz

Ms. Estes is a graduate of ISU with a BS in Elementary Education. She is a former member of the North Central College, Bloomington Flex, and Bloomington Edge dance teams. Sophia is also a former member of Bloomington Ballet and CDT.

Sheri Marley

Jazz

Ms. Marley studied dance at Fresno State University and ISU and has danced professionally in both California and Illinois. She has choreographed for Prairie Fire Theatre, Fresno Community Theatre, Fresno Jazz Company, University Dance Theatre (ISU), Eastlight Players, Bloomington Community Players, and Illinois Wesleyan University's School of Music Opera. She has directed and choreographed the Faculty Choreographed Dance Concert at IWU and choreographed the main stage musicals. Sheri has been an adjunct faculty member at IWU for the past 29 years, where she teaches Modern, Broadway Repertory, and Social Dance. She is also the faculty adviser for the IWU Student Choregraphed Dance Concert.

Greg Merriman

Ballet

Pointe

Modern

Director, Bloomington Ballet

Mr. Merriman is a graduate of Texas Christian University with a BFA in Classical Ballet. He studied with the Houston Ballet Academy and was a company member of Joffrey II, Houston Ballet, Fort Worth Ballet and Fort Worth Opera Ballet. He has completed his 24th season as resident choreographer of "The Nutcracker" for the Barrington Youth Ballet and has been a guest teacher at the Tennessee Governor's School for the Arts. Greg is an Instructional Assistant Professor of Dance at ISU.

Jessica Riss-Waltrip

Jazz

Director, JazzFusion

Ms. Riss-Waltrip has a degree in Dance from Illinois State University, where she is the coach of the Redline Express. She currently teaches dance at Illinois Wesleyan University, and enjoys choreographing for the IWU Department of Music Theatre. Jessica has choreographed for Orchesis, Prairie Fire Theatre, U-High Dance Team and Color Guard, Tri-Valley Color Guard, Bloomington & Normal Parks and Rec Theatre and Dance Programs, Heartland Community Education, and IWU Faculty Dance Concerts, Edge Dancers, Cohesion, and for other local community organizations.

Emily Schumacher

Ballet

Director, Apprentice Company

Ms. Schumacher is a graduate of Illinois State University with a BS in Theatre-Dance Performance. She was a 4-year member of Illinois State Dance Theatre and has presented choreography at ISU and the American College Dance Association.

Cally Shane

Jazz

Musical Theatre

Tap

Ms. Shane was a dance minor at Millikin University, where she also studied physical education. She worked as a dancer at Walt Disney World and for five years was the main instructor at her own dance studio. She has also taught swing dancing, ballroom, and Pilates.

Lesley Sutton

Tap

Ms. Sutton holds a BS from Southern Illinois University, where she danced with the Saluki Shakers, Southern Illinois Repertory Dance Theatre, and Southern Illinois Ballet. She has been teaching ballet, tap, and jazz since 2001.

Terri Miller

Executive Director

Terri Miller is the executive director of McLean County Dance Association. She has served as a co-executive director since December 2004 and currently serves as executive director, responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization. Terri has been involved with MCDA since 1990. She assisted two of the past directors and also served as a board member and school committee chairman. She is a graduate of Illinois State University. She is a board member of the Area Arts Round Table and currently serves as the organization's secretary.